During his eight years in office, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, the popular Brazilian president, undertook a number of actions on the international scene leading towards an increase in the country’s activity on the regional and global scale. In addition, through his actions, Brazil transformed into a major participant in international relations. The article presents examples of implementation of such tasks directed towards the fulfillment of the main objective – assuring the country’s optimum development and safety. At the same time, important changes in foreign policy premises took place referring to the existing world order, the features of globalization and its impact on the countries of the global South, that should be stressed. Those transformations influenced Brazil’s relations with different groups of countries – cooperation with South American countries was developed at the expense of Inter-American dialogue. These changes had an impact on the creation of alliances such as the organization of the G-20 that defended the commercial interests of the developing countries or international initiatives, for instance promoting development as an instrument of preventive diplomacy. Despite controversies raised by some of the initiatives undertaken by Lula da Silva, Brazil’s position as a global player was strengthened in the years 2003-2010. Further, this situation is trying to be maintained by present president Dilma Rousseff, who is continuing the policies of her predecessor.